Multi axes vibration gyro with stack of piezoelectric discs

Abstract: This invention relates to a method and an apparatus for detecting an angular velocity having a vibration member for exciting and detecting a vibration in a plurality of different directions and detection means for detecting the angular velocity by detecting a vibration in other directions when a vibration in one direction is excited by the vibration member.

Description: The present invention relates to an apparatus for measuring angular velocity, a corresponding vibration member, an application within an image anti-blur mechanism of a camera, and a corresponding method, Claims 1, 10-12. A vibration gyro is known as one of means for detecting an angular velocity. Based on the principle that "a Coriolis force is produced when an angular velocity is applied to an object with a velocity", the vibration gyro adds a vibration to the object to cause it to have a velocity, receives the Coriolis force produced when an angular velocity is applied to the object, and detects the Coriolis force proportional to the angular velocity entered as a displacement of the spring system, thus detecting an angular velocity applied to the object. An object of this vibration gyro which applies a vibration, that is, a vibration member is available in a shape of a tuning fork or a H-shape. However, the conventional vibration gyro has a single vibration member with a structure which permits mere detection of rotation in a plane and an angular velocity applied to the object. In detection of the angular velocity of a camera or other moving object on which the above conventional single-axis type vibration gyro, not only a one-dimensional angular velocity component but also two-dimensional and three-dimensional components are generally produced from the moving object. Therefore the conventional vibration gyro which has only been able to detect the angular velocity in a single-axis direction is not suitable for precisely detecting the angular velocity. Hence various types of vibration gyro capable of detecting angular velocities of two-axis direction components have been proposed. This two-axis type vibration gyro has been disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 63-61114, No. 64-16911, No. 1-140013, No. 2-198315, No. 2-218914 and No. 4-25714. Fig. 16 shows a vibration gyro disclosed in Japanese Patent Application Laid-open No. 64-16911. The conventional vibration gyro shown in Fig. 16 is adapted to have H-shaped vibration members 1 and 2 which are assembled to orthogonally intersect each other, apply an AC voltage to piezoelectric elements 4 and 5 connected to the sides of respective vibration members 1 and 2 to vibrate these vibration members 1 and 2 to give a velocity, and detect a distortion of the Coriolis force in two axial directions as electro-mechanical conversion signals from piezoelectric elements 6 and 7 connected to two orthogonally intersecting sides of a square support bar 3 which is extended in the Y direction, thus obtaining the angular velocity. The above other related arts employ a structure which is basically a combination of two vibration systems. The above-described related art vibration gyro includes a problem that it has required two vibration systems and the drive and detection circuits respectively for the vibration systems and therefore it has been inevitably complicated in construction and large-sized in the electric circuit. GB-A-2113842 shows an angular velocity measuring apparatus which can excite and detect vibration in at least three different modes. However, the apparatus is complicated and bulky. US-A-4903531 discloses an acoustic gyrometer in which it is possible to excite and detect vibration around three different axes. Most examples of the related arts include a problem that displacement is small and the output level of detection signal is low since a vibration caused by the Coriolis force is not a resonance vibration. According to the present invention there is provided an apparatus for measuring angular velocity, said apparatus comprising: a vibration member for inducing and detecting vibrations in three axial directions which orthogonally intersect one another, said vibration member being able to induce and detect vibrations in at least three vibration modes including two bending vibration modes about different axes; and means for measuring the vibrations detected by said vibration member, characterised in that: the vibration member comprises a stack of co-axially arranged piezoelectric discs, each being polarised with a predetermined polarity, each of said discs being connected to an electrode plate, wherein said predetermined polarities are such that the application of periodic voltages to said electrode plates induces said member to vibrate in said at least three vibration modes, wherein said vibration modes include either a torsional vibration mode around said axis of said stack or a longitudinal vibration mode along said axis of said stack. According to another aspect of the present invention there is provided a method for measuring an angular velocity comprising the steps of using a vibration member for exciting and detecting vibration in at least three vibration modes in different directions, measuring the vibration of one mode when another mode is excited, the vibration member enabling excitation and detection of respective vibrations in three axial directions which orthogonally intersect one another, the member having two bending vibration modes about different axes; characterised by: using as said vibration member, a vibration member having those technical features mentioned in the preceding paragraph. Fig. 1 is a schematic perspective view of a first embodiment of the invention; Fig. 2 is a sectional view of a vibration member of the first embodiment; Fig. 3 is a disassembled perspective view illustrating the arrangement of piezoelectric elements provided on the vibration member of the first embodiment and the directions of their polarization; Figs. 4A and 4B are respectively an illustration showing the polarization pattern of piezoelectric elements for a torsional vibration mode to be used in the first embodiment; Figs. 5A and 5B are respectively another example of the piezoelectric vibration mode; Fig. 5A is a disassembled perspective view and Fig. 5B is a diagram showing the development; Figs. 6A and 6B are respectively an illustration of a torsional vibration mode in the first embodiment; Fig. 7 is an illustration of a principle of the Coriolis force; Figs. 8A and 8B respectively show a state of detection of the angular velocity in the first embodiment; Fig. 8A is an angular velocity produced around the x axis and Fig. 8B is angular velocity produced around the y axis; Figs. 9A and 9B respectively show a bending mode in the first embodiment; Fig. 9A is a bending mode on a z-x plane and Fig. 9B is a bending mode on a z-y plane; Figs. 10A and 10B respectively show a second embodiment of the invention; Fig. 10A is a perspective view and Fig. 10B is an illustration of the vibration mode in the z direction; Fig. 11 is a perspective view showing a state of detection of the angular velocity in the second embodiment; Fig. 12 is a perspective view of a piezoelectric element showing a third embodiment of the invention; Figs. 13A to 13C respectively show a fourth embodiment of the invention; Fig. 13A is a side view of the vibration member. Fig. 13B is a diagram showing distortion in the z direction in the bending mode and Fig. 13C is a diagram showing distortion in the z direction by the torsional mode; Fig. 14 is a side view of a vibration member showing a fifth embodiment of the invention; Figs. 15A and 15B are respectively a diagram showing a relationship between an exciting force and an excitation amplitude; and Fig. 16 is a perspective view showing a vibration member of a related art vibration gyro. Figs. 1 and 2 respectively show a first embodiment of a vibration gyro according to the invention. Character A denotes a vibration member of a vibration gyro supported on a support block 5 with a support bar 4 and having larger diameter parts provided at upper and lower sides of a central axial part with a smaller diameter where a plurality of piezoelectric elements 3 are arranged in layers in the axial direction. The vibration member A is formed as shown in Fig. 2 so that the larger diameter part is provided at one end and a first vibration part 1 which has an external thread and a second vibration part 2 are thread-engaged together at its other end, and piezoelectric elements 3 are fixed by and between these first and second vibration parts. The support bar 4 is integrally formed with the lower part of the first vibration part 1 and the other end of the support bar 4 is thread-fitted to the support block 5. The piezoelectric elements 3 are made up by piling up four piezoelectric elements 3a, 3b, 3c 1 , and 3c 2 with electrode plates 6 provided therebetween as shown in Fig. 3. In Fig. 3, the arrow indicates the direction of polarization. Piezoelectric elements 3a, 3b, 3c 1 , and 3c 2 respectively provide the function of electro-mechanical conversion elements for vibrating the vibration member A and the function of mechanic-electrical conversion elements for picking up a vibration given to the vibration member A as a signal for detecting the angular velocity whereby the piezoelectric element 3a is used for excitation and detection of a bending mode (hereafter referred to as the "bending A mode") in the x-z plane, the piezoelectric element 3b for excitation and detection of a bending mode (hereafter referred to as the "bending B mode") in the y-z plane and piezoelectric elements 3c 1 and 3c 2 for excitation and detection of a torsional vibration (hereafter referred to as the "C mode") around the z axis. The configuration of the piezoelectric elements which permit excitation and detection of these modes is described below. The piezoelectric element 3a is polarized to have different polarities at its right and left sides with the diametral part in the y direction as a border and, when an AC voltage V A is applied to the-piezoelectric element 3a, it is distorted in the out-of-plane direction which is the direction of thickness and conducts a vibration of the A mode shown in Fig. 9A to the vibration member A. The piezoelectric element 3b is formed in the same construction as the piezoelectric element 3a and arranged with a phase difference of 90° from the piezoelectric element 3a and, when an AC voltage Vb is applied to it, the piezoelectric element 3b is distorted in the out-of-plane direction and conducts a vibration of the B mode shown in Fig. 9B to the vibration member A. Piezoelectric elements 3c 1 and 3c 2 are polarized as shown in Figs. 4A or 4B and conduct a torsional vibration around the z axis to the vibration member A. Piezoelectric elements 3c 1 and 3c 2 are formed by reversely arranged piezoelectric elements of the same structure so that the directions of torsion are reversed. Polarization shown in Fig. 4A is such that radially separated electrodes are provided both on the front and rear surfaces of the piezoelectric element and obliquely polarized by applying a voltage to every other electrode on the front and rear surfaces in the circumferential direction. Polarization shown in Fig. 4B is such that the piezoelectric element is divided into four quarter sections and electrodes 7' are disposed between adjacent quarter sections and polarized in the circumferential direction by applying a voltage to the electrodes. The structure of the piezoelectric element for producing a torsional vibration can be as shown in Figs. 5A and 5B. This type of structure shown in Fig. 5A is such that piezoelectric elements 3c-1 and 3c-2 which are radially divided into eight polarized portions so that a distortion is caused in the direction of thickness are piled up and a cross-shaped electrode plate 6 is held in contact on the upper surface of the piezoelectric element 3c-1 and the lower surface of the piezoelectric element 3c-2 so that these electrode plates 6 hold the piezoelectric elements 3c-1 and 3c-2 between themselves. In this case, the segments of the electrode plates contact the piezoelectric elements in half ranges from the borders as shown as the hatched portions in Fig. 5B. When a voltage Vc is applied, the distortion in the direction of thickness shown with the arrows between a pair of electrode segments is reversed and a distortion is caused in an oblique direction owing to a balance of force and a torsional vibration can be produced on the vibration member. The above describes the case that the piezoelectric elements are actuated to function as the electro-mechanical energy conversion elements, that is, as a function to produce a vibration to give an angular velocity necessary for detection to the vibration member. On the contrary, when a vibration of the A mode, B mode or C mode is applied to the vibration member, voltages V A , V B or V C in proportion to the amplitude of vibration is outputted from the piezoelectric element 3a, 3b, 3c 1 or 3c 2 . In this embodiment, the length and the diameter of the vibration member are set so that the natural frequency of the vibration member is almost the same in the A, B and C modes and, as described later, the natural frequency in A, B and C modes can be varied by a certain specified value. In the above-described structure of the vibration member, angular velocities of two axes can be detected from the other two modes by exciting one of A, B and C modes. The following describes an example for detecting the angular velocities of two axes from A and B modes by exciting the C mode. When an AC voltage Vc the frequency of which is approximate to the natural frequencies of A, B and C modes is applied to piezoelectric elements 3c 1 and 3c 2 , a torsion first order mode as shown in Figs. 6A and 6B is excited on the vibration member A. The arrows in the drawings indicate a direction and an amplitude of physical quantities (displacement, velocity, etc.) in relation to the vibration. In this case, the velocity of some points are shown. As shown in Fig. 7, when mass m moves at velocity v and carries out a relative motion at angular velocity ω, Coriolis acceleration 2ωv and Coriolis force F = 2mωv shown with the arrow acts on mass m. Accordingly, when an angular velocity around the x axis is applied to the vibration member which carries torsional vibration as shown in Fig. 8A, a Coriolis force shown with the non-shaded arrow acts on a part having a velocity component which orthogonally intersects the x axis. Since this Coriolis force serves as a compression force in the z axis direction at the positive position of the x axis and as a pulling force at a negative position thereof, a bending mode of the z-x plane as shown in Fig. 9A is produced on the vibration member A. At this time, a voltage is produced on the piezoelectric element 3a. Particularly, if the frequency of vibrations of the bending mode is approximate to the natural frequency, the displacement is expanded by resonance and a large voltage is obtained at the piezoelectric element 3a. This voltage is a quantity proportional to the angular velocity around the x axis. When an angular velocity around the y axis is applied to the vibration member which carries torsional vibration as shown in Fig. 8B, a Coriolis force shown with the non-shaded arrow acts on a part having a velocity component which orthogonally intersects the y axis. Since this Coriolis force serves as a compression force in the z axis direction at the positive position of the y axis and as a pulling force at a negative position thereof, a bending mode of the y-z plane as shown in Fig. 9B is produced and a voltage is produced on the piezoelectric element 3b. If the displacement is expanded by resonance, a large voltage is obtained at the piezoelectric element 3b. This voltage is a quantity proportional to the angular velocity around the y axis. Though vibrations of bending A and B modes proportional to the angular velocities around x and y axes are produced by exciting the torsional mode c in the above example, the angular velocities around two axes can be obtained from other bending modes and the torsional mode c by exciting one of the bending modes. If, for example, the torsional mode and the bending mode are used as the modes to be excited in sequence by changing over in a time sharing method, the outputs from each two axes, the outputs of three axes in total, can be obtained. In this embodiment, the diameter of both ends of the vibration member A is increased for the following reasons. 1) A type of mode with which a bending deformation is prone to be excited by a force in the z direction, that is, bending modes with a large displacement and velocity in the z direction are obtained. 2) Coriolis force 2mωv is increased by increasing mass m of both ends where the torsional velocity v is largest. 3) The vibration member which is short in length and can be easily controlled is made by reducing the natural frequency of the bending mode and the torsional mode. The vibration member can be made in another shape, for example, a bar or square column without variation of the diameter. Figs. 10A and 10B show the second embodiment which uses a longitudinal vibration second order mode and two bending first order modes. Figs. 10A and 10B are respectively a perspective view in which piezoelectric elements 3 for the A, B and C modes are provided between the vibration members 1 and 2 with the same diameter. Piezoelectric elements 3a and 3b are polarized in the z direction (direction of thickness) to be semi-circularly positive and negative so as to excite the bending first order mode as in Fig. 3. The piezoelectric element 3d is polarized as a whole in the z direction to excite the second order mode of longitudinal vibration as shown in Fig. 10B. The natural frequencies of two bending modes are equal. The natural frequency of longitudinal vibration can be equal or unequal to that of the bending mode. When an AC voltage V D is applied to the piezoelectric element 3d and the longitudinal vibration second order mode is excited by the vibration member, a velocity shown with a black arrow in Fig. 11 is produced. When an angular velocity ω around the x axis is applied to this vibration member, a Coriolis force as shown with the non-shaded arrow is produced. Consequently, the bending first order vibration in the y-z plane is produced from the vibration member and a voltage V A proportional to the angular velocity ω is produced on the piezoelectric element 3a. Similarly, when an angular velocity around the y axis is applied, the bending first order mode in the z-x plane is excited and a voltage V B proportional to the angular velocity is produced. Thus a 2-axis output vibration gyro is obtained. This vibration gyro can be used as a 3-axis vibration gyro as in the above-described embodiment if the excitation mode is changed over by time sharing. An embodiment for improving the angular velocity detection accuracy is described below with an example of the vibration member which uses the torsional mode and two bending modes as in the first embodiment. Fig. 12 shows a third embodiment which uses three piezoelectric elements 3e, 3f and 3g for detecting the bending vibration. If, for example, the vibration member A of the first embodiment is formed to have an ideal symmetricity, no voltage is produced in piezoelectric elements 3c 1 and 3c 2 for detecting the bending vibration even though the torsional vibration is excited when the angular angle is zero. Actually, however, angular positions of the piezoelectric elements and shapes of the vibration members include errors due to variations of workmanship and assembly and therefore a voltage is inevitably produced on the piezoelectric elements for detection due to axial asymmetrical deformation of piezoelectric elements resulting from torsional vibration and distortion of piezoelectric elements resulting from bending vibration produced. Therefore it is necessary to cancel a voltage produced on the piezoelectric elements by addition and subtraction. However, when a bending vibration is produced, for example, in the z-x plane, the amplitude of vibration in the x-y plane is 0 (zero) and therefore a voltage on two piezoelectric elements for orthogonally intersecting axes cannot be canceled by addition. Accordingly, piezoelectric elements 3e, 3f and 3g for detecting the bending vibration are arranged by shifting their positional phases as much as 60°. When the bending vibration occurs in a certain direction, a voltage is always produced on two or more piezoelectric elements and this unnecessary voltage can be offset by multiplying it with a certain constant and adding up the results. In this case, three or more piezoelectric elements can be used and an angle between them cannot be 60°. The following methods are available to improve the detection accuracy of the angular velocity. (1) To increase the velocity of excited vibration per unit input current. (2) To increase the voltage produced thereof for the velocity of vibration to be excited by the Coriolis force. To implement (1) and (2), a force factor of the mode to be excited can be decreased and a force factor of the mode for detection can be increased. A fourth embodiment in which the above is applied to the vibration members which use torsional vibration and bending vibration is shown in Figs. 13A to 13C. In the fourth embodiment shown in Figs. 13A, 13B and 13C the force factor is decreased by providing the piezoelectric element 3c for exciting the torsional vibration at a portion where the distortion of torsional vibration is not largest as shown in Fig. 13B and increased by providing a plurality of piezoelectric elements 3a and 3b for detecting the bending vibration (though six piezoelectric elements are used in this embodiment, the number of piezoelectric elements can be as required) at a portion where the distortion is largest. To implement the method described in (1) above, a value Q of the mode to be excited (indicating a quantity which denotes the sharpness of resonance) can be increased. Time t from excitation of the detection mode to the normal condition is given as below and the Q value of the detection mode is preferably a relatively small value. t ≃ Q/f It is known from the above that the Q value of the mode to be excited can be larger than the Q value of the detection mode. Generally, if the force factor is decreased, the Q value tends to increase and therefore the above-described relationship of the force factor connects to implementation of the above-described relationship of the Q value. The ratio of the input voltage of the excitation mode to the vibration velocity may vary since an internal loss and other factors change depending on the state of use. Accordingly, the piezoelectric element 3f for detecting a voltage V s proportional to the amplitude of torsional vibration as in the fifth embodiment shown in Fig. 14 can be provided for the vibration member which uses, for example, torsional vibration and bending vibration and controlled to fix the amplitude. Though the angular velocity ω has been treated as if it is a constant value, it is considered that it actually includes all frequency components. For example, the angular velocity ω of frequency fHz is expressed as given below: ω = ω 0 sin (2π ft) where, ω 0 is an amplitude of angular velocity and t is time. The velocity v at a certain point of the vibration member is expressed as given below: v = v 0 sin (2π fnt) where, fn is an excitation frequency. The Coriolis force F is proportional to ωv and has two frequency components fn ± f as shown below: F = F 0 sin (2π ft) · sin (2π fnt) = (F 0 /2) · cos {2π (fn - f) t} - (F 0 /2) · cos {2π (fn + f) t} In this case, the vibration ω is expressed as given below: ω = ω 0 cos 2π {(fn - f) t -  1 } + ω 0 cos 2π {(fn + f) t -  2 } where,  1 and  2 are respectively a phase difference between excitation force F and displacement ω. Generally, the ratio of displacement to excitation force and the phase difference at near the natural frequency is as shown in Figs. 15A and 15B. When the vibration is excited at a resonant frequency of the detection mode, a vibration ω of frequency fn ± fHz shown in the drawings is obtained. Though the amplitude is large, the phase is substantially changed. On the other hand, when a vibration is excited at a frequency of fn' which is not the resonant frequency, a signal of fn' ± fHz is obtained. Though the amplitude of this frequency is relatively small, a variation of the phase is small. Accordingly, it can be considered that more precise detection up to high frequency ω is possible if a signal large enough to noise is obtained. Accordingly, for example, in the first embodiment shown in Fig. 1, a high precision vibration gyro can be obtained by setting the natural frequency of torsional vibration as fn and the natural frequencies of two bending vibrations as fn' which are different from each other as much as an appropriate difference of frequency of fn' - fn. Since frequencies fn and fn' vary with an environmental change such as temperature fluctuation, a variation of the phase difference in accordance with variations of fn and fn' can be smaller and the environmental performance can be improved by setting in advance these frequencies as fn ≠ fn'. As described above, the above embodiments enable the detection of angular velocities around two or three axes with a single vibration member. Further, the vibration member can be made in a simple structure and can be small-sized to enable economic provision of the vibration gyro which is the angular velocity sensor. In addition, the detection accuracy can be improved and a compact and high precision vibration gyro can be provided. If this vibration gyro is applied to an apparatus which requires space saving, for example, an image blur prevention mechanism of a camera, a super small-sized image blur prevention mechanism can be provided.

Claims: An apparatus for measuring angular velocity, said apparatus comprising: a vibration member (A) for inducing and detecting vibrations in three axial directions which orthogonally intersect one another, said vibration member being able to induce and detect vibrations in at least three vibration modes including two bending vibration modes about different axes; and means for measuring the vibrations detected by said vibration member, characterised in that: the vibration member comprises a stack of co-axially arranged piezoelectric discs (3), each being polarised with a predetermined polarity, each of said discs being connected to an electrode plate (6), wherein said predetermined polarities are such that the application of periodic voltages to said electrode plates (6) induces said member to vibrate in said at least three vibration modes, wherein said vibration modes include either a torsional vibration mode around said axis of said stack or a longitudinal vibration mode along said axis of said stack. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stack of piezoelectric discs (3) comprises a plurality of piezoelectric discs (3a,3b,3c) each separated by a said electrode plate (6). An apparatus as claimed in claim 2 wherein a first piezoelectric disc (3a) is polarised to have opposite polarities about a Y axis, a second piezoelectric disc (3b) is polarised to have opposite polarities about an X axis and at least two further piezoelectric discs (3c) are polarised in reverse directions to each other and produce a torsional vibration when periodic voltages are applied to said electrode plates. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3, wherein the at least two further piezoelectric discs (3c1,3c2) are provided with electrodes (7) separated into sectors on the front and rear surfaces thereof and are each polarised in respective reverse directions that are oblique relative to their circumference and thickness. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the at least two further piezoelectric discs (3c1,3c2) are divided into sections with electrodes (7') disposed between adjacent sections and are each polarised in respective reverse circumferential directions. An apparatus as claimed in claim 3 wherein the at least two further piezoelectric discs (3c1,3c2) are radially divided into eight polarised sections, the electrode plates (6) in contact with the elements (3c1,3c2) extending outwards from a central hub. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stack of piezoelectric discs comprises a first and a second piezoelectric disc (3a,3b) polarised in the direction of thickness to be positive across one half and negative across the other half and a further piezoelectric element (3d) polarised as a whole in the direction of thickness. An apparatus as claimed in claim 1 wherein said stack of piezoelectric discs (3) comprises a plurality of piezoelectric discs (3e) for the detection and excitation of bending modes disposed at a portion of the member where torsional vibration is largest, and a piezoelectric disc (3e) for detection and excitation of torsional vibration disposed at a portion of the member where torsional vibration is least. An apparatus as claimed in any preceding claim wherein the natural frequencies of the three vibration modes are substantially the same. A vibration member, for use in the apparatus of claim 1, for inducing and detecting vibrations in three axial directions which orthogonally intersect one another, said vibration member being able to induce and detect vibrations in at least three vibration modes including two bending vibration modes about different axes, characterised in that: said member comprises a stack of coaxially arranged piezoelectric discs each being polarised with a predetermined polarity, each of said discs being connected to an electrode plate (6) wherein said predetermined polarities are such that the application of periodic voltages to said electrode plates (6) induces said member to vibrate in said at least three vibration modes, wherein said vibration modes include either a torsional vibration mode around said axis of said stack or a longitudinal vibration mode along said axis of said stack. An apparatus as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 incorporated within an image anti blur mechanism of a camera. A method for measuring an angular velocity comprising the steps of using a vibration member for exciting and detecting vibration in at least three vibration modes in different directions, measuring the vibration of one mode when another mode is excited, the member enabling excitation and detection of respective vibrations in three axial directions which orthogonally intersect one another, the member having two bending vibration modes about different axes; characterised by: using as said vibration member the vibration member of claim 10.

Inventors: CHIBA ICHIRO, KANAZAWA HAJIME, MAENO TAKASHI, TSUKIMOTO TAKAYUKI, CHIBA, ICHIRO, KANAZAWA, HAJIME, MAENO, TAKASHI, TSUKIMOTO, TAKAYUKI, CHIBA, ICHIRO, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, KANAZAWA, HAJIME, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, MAENO, TAKASHI, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA, TSUKIMOTO, TAKAYUKI, C/O CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Applicants: CANON KK, CANON KABUSHIKI KAISHA
Application year: 1994
Main classification: G01C19
IPC codes: G01C19, G01P9